Selective call waiting service

ABSTRACT

A communications system is designed to present a number of options to a caller who is attempting to reach a call-waiting subscriber already busy on a first call. The options are presented to the caller via an announcement that offers the caller the alternative of either sending immediately a conventional call-waiting alert signal to the subscriber, or leaving a message that is automatically delivered to the subscriber immediately after the subscriber terminates the first call.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.09/106,984, filed Jun. 29, 1998 and now issued as U.S. Pat. No.6,343,121.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to communications systems and, moreparticularly, to an improved call-waiting feature.

BACKGROUND

Over the last thirty years, many new features have been added to therich set of features already available to communications servicessubscribers. Such new features include call waiting, call forwarding,three-way calling, speed dialing, voice messaging, and automaticcallback, to name a few. The call-waiting feature is perhaps the mostwidely used communications services feature for many reasons, not theleast of which are its relatively low cost (no additional end-userdevice required) and its simple user interface (user-friendly hookflash). In essence, the call-waiting feature allows a subscriber who isalready busy on a first call to be alerted to the presence of a secondcall in waiting. Such alert typically takes the form of a signal that istransmitted in-band to the call-waiting subscriber, in completedisregard of the conversation that is taking place between thesubscriber and the other party of the first call (hereinafter “the firstparty”). Call-waiting subscribers have always resented the ill-manneredinterruption of the call-waiting alert signal. Nevertheless, theirapprehension of losing important calls has impelled call-waitingsubscribers to tolerate, albeit grudgingly, the brusqueness of thecall-waiting alert signal.

The threshold of tolerance of a call-waiting subscriber is quite oftenruggedly tested when the subscriber interrupts a first important call toanswer a second call presumed to be important, only to find out that thesecond call is unimportant or, worse yet, a nuisance call. To makematters worse, when the call waiting subscriber has to interrupt animportant conversation with the first party to take the call-in-waiting,the unsuspecting second caller more often than not, incurs the wrath ofthe call-waiting subscriber, even though the second caller could nothave prevented the interruption.

Equally bothersome is the impression of benign neglect that may be feltby the first party after being placed on hold for the benefit of thesecond caller. The feeling of benign neglect is especially intense whenthe first party knows that the subscriber could have simply ignored thesecond call in waiting, if the subscriber so desired. However, if thecall-waiting subscriber ignores the call in waiting, in an attempt tovitiate any potential feeling of neglect from the first party, thesubscriber runs the risk of losing the call in waiting without thebenefit of even a message from the caller-in-waiting. This is becausethe operations of an answering machine (e.g., delivery of a greetingannouncement and recording of a message) are triggered when theanswering machine receives at least one ringing tone signal from anetwork office switch. Unfortunately, when a call waiting subscriber isalready engaged in a first call, the subscriber's answering machine doesnot receive the appropriate ringing tone signal to trigger theoperations of the subscriber's answering machine.

In response to this problem, some switch manufacturers have introducedthe so-called “call waiting id” feature. Basically, the feature provideson a screen of a caller-id box, a display of the name and/or number of acaller in-waiting who is attempting to reach a call-waiting subscriberalready engaged in a first call. The call-waiting id feature has certaineconomic disadvantages and other limitations that make such featuresunattractive to certain subscribers. For example, the name and/or numberinformation delivered to the call waiting subscriber may be worthless ormisleading if the call-in-waiting is originated from a public telephonebooth or a telephone set that is not associated with the caller's mobilenumber, residential number or work number. In addition, the call waitingid feature requires a communications services user to subscribe to twoseparate communications services features, namely, caller-id and callwaiting. Furthermore, some communications carriers charge an additionalmonthly fee for call-waiting id above and beyond the monthly charges forcaller-id and call waiting. Worse yet, a caller-id and call-waitingsubscriber who wishes to subscribe to the call-waiting id feature mayneed to replace his or her caller-id box with a special“call-waiting-id-capable” caller-id hardware to benefit from thecall-waiting-id feature. Finally, the call-waiting id feature does notspare the subscriber of the brusqueness of the call-waiting alertsignal.

It is thus desirable to provide to a caller-in-waiting cost-effectivemethods of alerting a call waiting subscriber of his or her incomingcall.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure is directed to a method and a system that allow acommunications network to offer to a caller who is attempting to reach acall-waiting subscriber already busy on a first call, a set of optionsfor alerting the subscriber to the existence of the second call. Theoptions are presented to the caller via an announcement that offers thecaller the alternative of either sending immediately a conventionalcall-waiting alert signal to the subscriber, or leaving a message thatis automatically delivered to the subscriber immediately after thesubscriber terminates the first call.

In an exemplary embodiment of the principles disclosed herein, a voiceinformation system of the communications network delivers theannouncement to the caller. The announcement informs the caller that thecall-waiting subscriber is busy on a first call before presenting suchcaller with two options. In the first option, the caller is prompted toenter a particular number on the dial pad of the caller's telephone setto initiate immediate delivery of a call-waiting alert signal to thecall-waiting subscriber's telephone set. It is assumed that the callerwill select the first option if the caller deems his or her call to beimportant. In the second option, the caller is invited to enter adistinct number on the keypad of the telephone set being used if he orshe wishes to record a message for the call-waiting subscriber, in lieuof sending a call waiting alert signal. The announcement also assuresthe caller that the recorded message will be delivered to thecall-waiting subscriber upon availability of the call-waitingsubscriber's line.

When the caller chooses the first option, the voice information systemtransmits a call processing message to the network office switch of thecall-waiting subscriber directing the switch to send the call-waitingalert signal to the telephone set of the call-waiting subscriber. If thecaller selects the second option, the voice information system directsthe caller to record a message for the call-waiting subscriber. Whilethe caller is recording the message destined for the call-waitingsubscriber, the network office switch that is coupled to thecall-waiting subscriber's line monitors such line for on-hook condition.If the call-waiting subscriber's line does become available during themessage recording process, the network office switch terminates suchprocess to apply a ringing tone to the call waiting subscriber'stelephone set.

After the message recording process has ended, the network office switchthat is coupled to the call-waiting subscriber's line continues tomonitor such line for on-hook condition. When the call-waitingsubscriber's line does become available, the network office switchapplies a ringing tone to the call-waiting subscriber telephone setwhile sending a call processing message to the voice information servicefor the retrieval of the recorded message. If the call-waitingsubscriber answers the telephone, the network office switch establishesa communications path between the subscriber and the voice informationsystem for delivery of the recorded message to the call-waitingsubscriber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows in block diagram format a communications network arrangedin accordance with the principles disclosed therein to offer callersdifferent options for alerting call-waiting subscribers of incomingcalls in waiting; and

FIG. 2 illustrates programmed instructions executed by differentcomponents of FIG. 1 to implement options offered to callers foralerting call waiting subscribers of incoming calls in waiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows in block diagram format a communications network 100 whichincludes access/egress communications switches 104 and 105 that areconnected to a common voice information system 109 via trunk facilities50 and 60, respectively. Switches 104 and 105 are processor-controlled,software-driven communications systems that are arranged to route callsto destinations specified in call setup information received fromend-user devices such as analog telephone sets 101 and 106. A well-knowncommunications switch is the Lucent Technologies 5ESS® switch whosefeatures and functionality are described in different articles publishedin the AT&T Technical Journal, Vol. 64, No. 6, part 2, pp. 1305–1564,July/August, 1985. Communications switch 104 (105) also includesinternal tables that correlate a subscriber's line to communicationsservices features associated with that line. For example, the internaltable of communications switch 105 indicates that the subscriber's linefor telephone sets 101 and 106 are Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS)facilities 10 and 11, respectively. Illustratively, the internal tableof communications switch 105 may also indicate that telephone 106 isprovisioned for call waiting service. It is worth noting that althoughthe communications system 100 of FIG. 1 does not show (for the sake ofsimplicity) any toll switches or Inter-exchange carrier network, it isto be understood that one or more toll switches may be included incommunications system 100.

Communications switches 104 and 105 exchange call processing messagesvia signaling trunks 90 and 91 and a signaling network 111 which iscomprised of a plurality of interconnected packet switching nodes thatroute call processing messages to their appropriate destinationsaccording to a defined protocol, such as the well-known Common ChannelSignaling (CCS) protocol. Trunk 80 carries telephone traffic other thansignaling information between switches 104 and 105.

Also shown in FIG. 1 is voice information system 109 that includes acall processing unit that is arranged to execute a set of scripts storedtherein. Such scripts are executed to answer an incoming call and togreet a caller with a pre-recorded voice announcement inviting thecaller to leave a message for a called party. Voice information system109 selects a particular set of scripts to be executed based onparticular call processing messages received from communications switch104 (105). A call processing message may instruct voice informationsystem 109 to play a specific announcement to a caller based onterminating supervisory signals or call progress tones (busy,ring-no-answer) associated with an attempted call. For example, anannouncement may indicate to a caller that the line for the called partyis currently busy and the caller may either press “1” to send acall-waiting alert signal to the called party, or may press “2” torecord a message that will be delivered to the called party as soon asthe called party's line becomes available. Such an announcement,hereinafter called a “call-waiting announcement” may be a genericannouncement that is delivered to all callers in waiting attempting toreach any call waiting subscriber. Alternatively, the announcementdelivered by voice information system 109 may be a personalizedannouncement pre-recorded by the call-waiting subscriber. In the lattercase, the call-waiting subscriber would dial a particular numberassociated with the administrative functions of voice information system109. The call-waiting subscriber would be prompted to enter his or hertelephone number and a Personal Identification Number (PIN). Thereafter,the call-waiting subscriber would be prompted to record his or herpersonalized announcement.

Voice information system 109 also includes a memory 110 and a storagearea 107. Memory 110 stores the script call processing messages and thedigitized file representations of the announcements. Storage area 107contains the voice mailboxes that store recorded messages for callwaiting subscriber's lines. A voice information system may beimplemented using a suitably modified Lucent Technologies Intuity® VoiceSystem whose architecture and features are described in an articleentitled “Conversant Voice System and Applications” by Pardue et al.that was published in AT&T Technical Journal Vol. 65, Issue 5, pp.34–47, September/October 1986.

When voice messaging system is recording a message destined for acall-waiting subscriber, the network office switch to which thetelephone set of the called party is connected, “listens” to supervisorysignals (busy or line available) in order to take specific actions. Forexample, when switch 104 (105) detects that the line for a called partyis available, switch 104 (105) may terminate the message recordingprocess and apply a ringing tone to the called party's telephone set. Itis worth noting that although FIG. 1 shows a single messaging processingsystem 109 being connected to both communications switches 104 and 105,it is to be understood that multiple messaging processing systems may beconnected to individual switches without departing from the principlesbeing disclosed herein.

Optionally, communications switching system 100 of FIG. 1 may bereplaced with a computer network (not shown) that is comprised ofinterconnected processing nodes (including a messaging complex) arrangedto a) switch digital signals according to a common addressing protocol,such as the Internet Protocol (IP), and b) to deliver messaginginformation to callers in-waiting.

The process contemplated by this disclosure is initiated in step 201when communications system 100 receives a second call that is directedto a called party who is already busy on a first call. In order tofacilitate a clearer explanation of the inventive concept disclosedherein, it would be assumed that the second call is initiated fromtelephone set 101, and is directed to telephone set 106. Upon receivingthe call setup information from telephone set 101, communications switch104 forwards the call setup information to communications switch 105 viasignaling network 111. Communications switch 105 uses its internaltables to ascertain whether the called party line i.e., line 11, is acall-waiting subscriber's line. If line 11 is not provisioned for callwaiting, as determined in step 202, communications switch 105 sends acall processing message to communications switch 104 instructing switch104 to apply a busy tone to telephone set 101 in step 203. If line 11 isa call-waiting subscriber line, as determined in step 202,communications switch 105 sends a call processing message to voiceinformation system 109 to instruct voice information system 109 toexecute the call waiting announcement script described above. Suchcall-processing message includes the caller's telephone number as wellas the called party's telephone number. Specifically, voice informationsystem 109, upon receiving the call processing message fromcommunications switch 105, fetches memory 110 to retrieve thecall-waiting announcement that is delivered to the caller in step 204.As indicated above, the announcement offers the caller the option ofeither sending a call-waiting alert signal to the called party'stelephone set by pressing “1”, or to record a message to be delivered tothe called party as soon as the line becomes available by pressing “2”.Alternatively, the caller may be prompted to utter “1” or “2” when voiceinformation system 109 includes speech recognition hardware andsoftware. If the caller selects the first option, as determined in step205, voice information system 109 fetches memory 110 to retrieve a callprocessing message that is forwarded to communications switch 105. Uponreceiving the call-processing message, communications switch 105, instep 206, applies an in-band call waiting alert signal to telephone set106.

When the caller selects the second option, as determined in step 205,voice information system 109 in step 207, delivers a second announcementto the caller inviting him or her to start recording a message after thedelivery of a high pitch tone. Voice information system 109 time stampsthe recorded message and stores such message in a voice mailboxassociated with the telephone number of the call waiting subcriber.While the message is being recorded, communications switch 105 in step208, monitors the called party's line i.e., line 11, to ascertainwhether the line is no longer seized. If line 11 becomes availableduring the message recording process, as determined in step 209,communications switch 105 in step 210, interrupts the message recordingprocess and applies a ringing tone to telephone 106. If line 11 remainsseized, throughout the message recording process, as determined in step209, communications switch 105 in step 211, continues to monitor theline after the message recording process is terminated. Communicationsswitch 105 continues to monitor line 11 in step 211 until the linebecomes available, as determined in step 212. Immediately after the linebecomes available, communications switch 105 applies a ringing tone tothe call waiting subscriber's telephone set while simultaneously sendinga call processing message to voice information system 109 to trigger thedelivery of the recorded message to the call waiting subscribe. The callprocessing message includes the call waiting subscriber's telephonenumber that is used by voice information system 109 to retrieve fromstorage area 107 the recorded message from the voice mail box associatedwith that telephone number.

When the call-waiting subscriber answers the call, communications switch105 establishes a communications path from the caller's telephone set,i.e., set 106 to voice information system 109 for delivery of therecorded message in step 213. Optionally, voice information system 109may deliver an announcement before the recorded message. Such anannouncement may indicate, for example, the number of recorded messages,if appropriate, the time such recorded message was received by voiceinformation system 109, as well as the telephone number of the caller.If more than one message was recorded while the call-waiting subscriberwas on the line, the recorded messages are delivered by voiceinformation system 109 in the chronological order in which the messageswere recorded, i.e., first message recorded, first message delivered.Alternatively, such recorded messages may be delivered in reversechronological order, i.e., last message recorded, first messagedelivered.

If the call-waiting subscriber does not answer the call for delivery ofthe recorded message, communications switch 105 may re-initiate the callafter a pre-determined period of time. Alternatively, if thecall-waiting subscriber is also a voice mail subscriber, communicationsswitch 105 may apply a stutter dial tone to telephone set 106 when anoff-hook condition is detected for such telephone set.

After a recorded message is delivered to the caller, voice informationsystem 109, in step 214, may optionally prompt the call-waitingsubscriber to press a key on the dial pad of telephone set 106, if thesubscriber wishes for communications network 100 to dial the telephonenumber of the party who recorded the message.

The foregoing is to be construed as being only an illustrativeembodiment of the principles of this disclosure. Persons skilled in theart can easily conceive of alternative arrangements providingfunctionality similar to this embodiment without any deviation from thefundamental principles or the scope of this disclosure.

1. A method implemented by a computer network for processing a call inwaiting, said method comprising the steps of: receiving, at a firstprocessing node, call setup information for an incoming call that isinitiated from a telephone set by a caller and is destined for a callwaiting subscriber who is busy on a first call; delivering anannouncement from the processing node to said caller, said announcementgiving said caller at least two options, said options comprising a)delivering a call waiting alert tone to said subscriber's telephone set,and b) recording a message to be delivered to said subscribersubstantially immediately after termination of said first call;receiving, at the processing node, a signal from said caller indicatingthat said caller wishes to record a message destined for said callwaiting subscriber; delivering another announcement inviting said callerto start recording said message; and receiving from said caller saidmessage being recorded terminating said reception of said message inresponse to receiving signaling information indicating that said callwaiting subscriber is available to receive the caller's call while saidmessage is being recorded; and establishing a communication path throughthe computer network between said call waiting subscriber and saidcaller.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:monitoring, at the processing node, a telephone line associated withsaid call wailing subscriber's telephone set after the recording of saidmessage to determine whether said first call is terminated, anddelivering said recorded message to said call waiting subscriberimmediately after said first call is terminated.
 3. The method of claim2 wherein said delivery step comprises the steps of: generating a callprocessing message in the processing node that is coupled to saidtelephone line and that performs said monitoring; transmitting said callprocessing message to a voice information system that is coupled to saidprocessing node, wherein said call processing message includes said callwaiting subscriber's telephone number; and retrieving said recordedmessage from a mailbox associated with said call waiting subscriber'stelephone to effectuate said delivery.
 4. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising the steps of: receiving, at the processing node, anindication from said caller signaling that said caller wishes that saidcall waiting alert tone be delivered to said call waiting subscriber;and applying said call waiting alert tone to said call waitingsubscriber's telephone set.
 5. The method of claim 1 further comprisingthe step of: storing said announcement in a mailbox associated with saidcall waiting subscriber's telephone number that is included in said callsetup information.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said announcement isa personalized announcement pre-recorded by the call waiting subscriber.7. A computer network for processing calls in waiting, the computernetwork comprising a processing node which transmits a call processingmessage indicating that said processing node received from a caller anincoming call that was initiated by said caller from a telephone set andis destined for a call waiting subscriber who is already busy on a firstcall; and a message complex which a) receives said call processingmessage and prompts said caller to select from a set of options toprocess said call, said options comprising: a) delivering a call waitingalert note to said subscriber's telephone set, and b) recording amessage to be delivered to said subscriber substantiallycontemporaneously with termination of said first call, wherein saidmessaging complex prompts said caller to record a message destined forsaid call waiting subscriber in response to receiving a request fromsaid caller exercising one of said options to effectuate said messagerecording and wherein said processing node a) receives an indicationthat said first call has been terminated while said message is beingrecorded and b) terminates said message recording to establish acommunication path between said caller and said call waiting subscriberthrough the computer network.
 8. The computer network of claim 7 whereinsaid messaging complex receives a message being recorded by said callerand stores said massage in a voice mailbox associated with a callwaiting subscriber's telephone number.